Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber Review

Our family got to try a free half gallon of Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber from Kroger because I am a BzzAgent. We first tried it out with the baby because he has been battling constipation issues and we thought it might have been related to dairy products. Almondmilk has 5 grams of fiber per serving, so we really hoped it would help his belly. Although he really seemed to like how it tasted, it didn't seem to have any effect on his digestive system. 

Next, I thought I'd try it out on our 5 year old son. He's a really picky child so I added chocolate powder to his Almondmilk. Check out this video for his reaction:

I think that if I wanted to make this a daily part of his routine, he would easily get use to it. Although his reaction seems bad, I know him well enough to know that this is something he could adjust to.

Next I asked my husband if he'd be brave enough to do an on-the-spot review. He graciously did this for me and here is his reaction:

I'll be honest, at first, I was just too afraid to try it. The texture seemed thick to me. I normally drink 1% milk, so it was a big change. I tried a drink when no one else was looking. To my surprise it really wasn't bad! It was a little thicker than I'm used to, but it had a slightly sweet taste that made it okay for me. If I had issues with dairy products, this drink would be my next preference. The price is comparable to other non-dairy types of milk and you can almost always find a good sale or a coupon; or even better, both!

I didn't think about it until all of the Almondmilk was gone, but I think it would've been a great addition to smoothies. I've also read other reviews where people used it for baking. What a great idea! 

Here are some awesome benefits from Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber:

• Packs 5g of protein, 5g of fiber and 100 calories or less per serving
• Provides 50% more calcium than dairy milk*
• May help keep you feeling full (increasing protein and fiber in your diet can help promote satiety!)
• Enjoy Silk^® Protein+Fiber Almondmilk anywhere you’d use your favorite milk — over cereal, in smoothies or straight up in a glass

*45% DV calcium versus 30% DV in dairy milk. USDA National Nutrient Database for Std. Ref, Release 26. Data consistent with typical 2% dairy milk.

If you have tried Almondmilk, let me know what you think about it! Do you just drink it as 

you would dairy milk? Or do you use it for smoothies, milkshakes, and baking?

Be blessed my friends!

Arby's Contest

If you have NOTHING to do today, here's a contest that you might like. I keep checking back at the computer because you can win $1300. We could really use that right now. How about you?

Enter for a chance to win a prize in ARBY’S 13 HOUR SMOKEHOUSE BRISKET CHALLENGE

We made a 13-hour commercial that shows the 13-hour process we use to smoke our brisket. You’re about to watch that commercial. During the stream, we’re giving away over $20,000 worth of prizes.

For your chance to win, watch the brisket smoke and click on the annotations that pop up over the video. Correctly answer a brisket trivia question, and you’ll be entered to win. There’s one at least every 13 minutes so you won’t have to wait long.

Prizes are listed on the website http://www.13hourbrisket.com. Limit one (1) Prize per person. Each Winner is solely responsible for all federal, state and/or local taxes, and for any other fees or costs associated with the redemption of a Prize. If applicable, a Winner may receive an IRS form 1099 for the retail value of the Prize.

Begins on May 28, 2014 at 9:00 am EDT & ends on May 28, 2014 at 10:00 pm EDT. Open to all legal U.S. residents residing in the fifty (50) United States of America and the District of Columbia, who are at least eighteen (18) years of age or older. Minor entrants must get a parent or legal guardian’s permission to participate. See Official Rules at 13hourbrisket.com/rulesandregulations for full details. Void in Guam, PR, US VI, all US territories & where restricted or prohibited by law. Sponsor: HYFN, Inc.

Be blessed my friends!

Free Kellog's Family Reward Code

Do you enter Kellogg's Family Reward Codes? If so, here is a free one for you! Happy Tuesday! If you are not familiar with Kellogg's Family rewards, just go to www.KFR.com to learn more.

Be blessed my friends!

My Plans Vs. His Plans

Life has been a little overwhelming to me lately. I think my expectations are just not realistic. But then I think, maybe they are realistic and I'm just lazy. It's a battle that I fight daily. I feel guilty when my husband gets up with the baby and lets me sleep in. I feel guilty if I nap when the baby naps. I feel like I have to spend every waking second doing something productive. I know I need to cut myself some slack, but for some reason I just can't. We have finished homeschool for this school year and though I thought things would get easier, I find a million more things that could use my attention while I'm not doing school work with the kids.

I need to exercise. I should organize those containers full of photos that have just been sitting in my closet. The baby screams and cries most of the day because he's constipated. I've done everything I know to do to help him. I should provide some meals for my family instead of everyone fending for themselves. That's how it goes way too many nights. The laundry is piling up, the floors need swept, and where did my table go again? I really should play more with the kids. They are growing up so fast. I'm trying to fit more Bible reading and time alone with God into my schedule. Most of the time my day goes a lot smoother if I get this in early in the morning. So much clutter in the house. I need to sell some stuff! I'm working on a budget for our family; getting help from a friend since I've tried and tried and always failed. I should do meal plans. Hopefully I'll get to that soon. I need more date nights with my husband. Neither one of us can remember the last time we went out on a date. Isn't that sad! So sad! Priorities just aren't the way they should be, or my husband and I would be spending more time alone.

It's hard to fall asleep at night because the house isn't the only thing that is cluttered. My mind just won't shut off!

So once again I will attempt to make tomorrow a better day. I will start with some sort of a plan. A plan to get up and shower while my husband is still home. A plan to take a walk with my neighbor to get some morning exercise in. A plan to actually fix my kids something for breakfast and spend some time playing with them. A plan that includes quiet time with the Lord. A plan to figure out a schedule that just might work for us. A cleaning schedule would be nice. Then maybe I will stop spending the majority of my days cleaning, and little time doing things with my boys. Now here's praying that my baby will sleep through the night so my "plan" will start out the way I want it to. 

Or, God just gave me a better idea. 

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

I guess I will just give it to Him and ask Him once again to prepare my way and to help me figure out what works best for my family. He knows much better than I do and His plans will prosper me! So, my first plan for tomorrow will be to go to Him in prayer. Isn't that the way it should have been all along? Sometimes we just need to go back to the basics!

Be blessed my friends!

One Year Old Pics

My New Job Title

I guess I've gone a little crazy since I've decided that being a stay at home, homeschooling mom to 3 boys just wasn't enough. I've always loved children's books and thought about getting back into direct sales to generate a little more income for my family so I am now a consultant for Usborne Books and More. Usborne is a children's book, direct sales company that has been around since the 1960's. Their books are all made in house and they are so fun and colorful. Many of them have lift the flap features or pull out pages. Some of the baby books are the ones they can feel different textures on. Here is a small sample. There are over 1600 titles to choose from, so there is definitely something for every child. 

If you would like to see more of these fabulous books, please check out my website by clicking HERE!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Let me know if you have any questions about Usborne Books and More.

Be blessed my friends!

An Eye Opener About Money

A lot has been going on in my world. The day before yesterday I ended up in the ER because my heart was constantly fluttering and I got light headed. After spending 2 hours in the waiting room and another 4 hours or so in a room, I finally got to come home. All of my tests came back normal. I had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and I don't have those results yet. The next day I got a really big bill from the IRS. Apparently I made a mistake on our 2012 taxes. I cried my eyes out. I'm thankful that we have the money in our savings to cover it and thankful that my husband treated me with kindness as I explained what happened. Until now we've been living kind of care free; going out to eat, giving money away, and spending money like we have it...because we did. I feel like the last couple of days were a huge wake up call. I feel like God slapped me in the face. As I was going through my 2012 papers, trying to figure out what had happened, I found an index card that I had written on. It said, "If therefore you are not faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? Luke 16:11"  After reading this, I cried some more. We have always been givers and faithful tithers, but I feel like God told me right then and there that we have got to start taking money more seriously. We have to be diligent with it. We can still be givers and tithers (and we will), but we need to be faithful with the rest. Instead of blowing it all of the time on eating out and buying whatever our hearts desire, we need to budget and save money for the future. Although I'm really sad over the events that have happened over the last few days and the fact that our bank account has been drained, I am grateful that God has opened my eyes. What about you? Are you faithful with worldly wealth? If not, I pray that God will help you as you strive to be a better steward of the things He has blessed you with. I'm on this journey with you!

Be blessed my friends!

The Bump On My Baby's Head

About a month after our little man was born, we thought he had a mosquito bite on the side of his head. The bump appeared to be liquid-filled, swollen, and red. We didn't think much about it until a few weeks later when a bump reappeared in the same location. I knew that wasn't a coincidence and he couldn't have been bitten in the same spot again. I noticed that once the swelling went down, it looked almost like a tiny, grey birthmark. We mentioned it to our pediatrician and he told us to just keep an eye on it. As long as it didn't get larger, he thought it was nothing to be concerned about.

Month after month, the bump would come and go and it seemed like it was getting slightly larger with each episode. I started taking pictures of it when it was swollen so we could show the pediatrician at his next check up. I took him in around 11 months of age and showed the doctor one of the pictures. I could tell that he was concerned about it this time, now that he saw for himself just how large it can get, which is usually about the size of a quarter. He referred us to a dermatologist.

I had an appointment scheduled to see the dermatologist, but one morning it swelled up so big that it freaked me out. My heart sank. I thought that there was surely something serious going on and I couldn't wait another few weeks until his appointment. Here is a picture that I took that day:

I called the dermatologist in a panic. I had all these terrible thoughts racing through my head. I'm sure you could think of a few things too. I felt guilty for even having these thoughts as a Christian mom. I wanted so deeply to just trust Jesus. I prayed for my baby and I prayed for Him to give me peace. The dermatologist had me come in that day. I was so happy that I would probably finally get some answers. All the way there, I prayed over him and for God to calm my nerves.

Within about 30 seconds of seeing the doctor, she said, "I know exactly what this is. It's totally benign. You have nothing to worry about."  I shed a few tears of relief right there in her office. I thanked God (and I continued thanking Him many times after that). All the doctor had to do was scratch his head where the spot is. It immediately flared up and began to swell again. He has something called Mastocytoma. It's a benign skin tumor that usually occurs in childhood and clears up on its own. Under this bump, there are mast cells that produce histamine. When this area is irritated, it flares up. It doesn't cause him any pain or harm, it just itches.

I'm hoping that by posting this, it will help another momma out there who might have a child with the same symptoms and it will save her some uncertainty and the scary feelings I dealt with for 11 months. When I was trying to do my own research, I couldn't find anything that sounded like what was going on with our little man.

Be blessed my friends!

Learning With Minecraft

 

Do you have a child who loves playing Minecraft, but you want them to be playing on a safe and educational server? That's right, I said educational! I couldn't believe this site when I stumbled upon it today. My sons, ages 14 & 5 LOVE playing Minecraft. I don't really get it, but it sure beats a lot of the other games that are out there to play. Well, today I found SKrafty Homeschool Minecraft Classes. I'm ecstatic about this and it will probably play a huge factor in the curriculum I choose for my kids this coming school year. SKrafty works side by side with curriculum like Apologia, Mystery of History, A+ Interactive, and more. Most of the classes start in the fall and you pay a small fee for either self-paced classes or weekly, live classes. If you want to learn more, just check out the website by clicking HERE. I know this isn't a biblical website, but if you already allow your children to play this game, why not make it educational?

Be blessed my friends!

Blimey Cow

I've seen these kids before but forgot all about them. While searching for homeschool curriculum for next year, I stumbled upon them again. They are hilarious, former homeschoolers who produce a new video each Monday. Most of their videos give practical advice, but deliver the message in a hysterical format. Since we are homeschoolers, this is currently one of my favorite videos. Check it out!

For more of their videos, you can search Blimey Cow on Youtube or go to their website, BlimeyCowBeta.com.

Be blessed my friends!

New Pink Peony & Rose Oil Tone Body Wash Review

I got to try the new Pink Peony & Rose Oil Tone Body Wash for free because I'm a BzzAgent. This is by far one of my favorite products that I have received through BzzAgent. If you read my last post then you would know that I just got home from spending several weeks in Florida with my parents. I split the drive home into two days. By the time I got home, the first thing I wanted to do after unloading the van, was to take a shower. My Pink Peony & Rose Oil body wash was waiting for me. It lathered up so well and left my skin feeling so clean and soft. My favorite part though was the scent. I couldn't get enough of it! After cleaning my skin, I just couldn't stop sniffing the loofah. It made me feel as if I were at a spa getting pampered. Pink Peony & Rose Oil Tone Body Wash left me feeling nice and clean, but was delicate enough that it didn't bother parts of my skin that was sunburned. I highly recommend this product to anyone who loves feeling pampered!

VACATION

Hello friends! It's been a while again since I've written but this time it was for a very good reason. I just spent 5 and a half weeks in Florida with my parents. What an adventure that was! My husband was with us for the first week, but then he had to fly back for work. We missed each other so much, but I'm thankful for the time I got with my parents (even though at times we drove each other bonkers). I had a very small bucket list before my trip to Florida. It basically included seeing the ocean and going to Disney World. I know, not very adventurous. I'm happy to say that I have completed my bucket list, so if I die, I die happy! ha ha

Even though Disney World was on my bucket list, I was not impressed at all. It was way too crowded and costs too much money. Most of the rides are indoor boat rides. Woop-dee-doo  Please don't hate me if you disagree. This is just my opinion. I was also disappointed in the lack of characters that were visible. The only one we got to see and interact with was Stitch. I think Disney is way over-rated.

If you want to take your kids to a place that they will truly remember, you should try Legoland! My 5 year old could ride almost every ride in the park and the longest we ever had to wait in line was about 15 minutes; most lines were only about 5 minutes long. We had so much fun riding the rollercoasters over and over. There was also a double-decker merry-go-round. I had never seen that before and thought it was really cool. There were so many cool things to look at. There was an entire town that you could walk through and look at neat scenes made out of Legos. I really loved the Statue of Liberty and scenes that had functional boats made out of Legos that were in the water. We also watched a couple of 4d shows and a pirate show at the lake. We enjoyed Legoland so much that we took advantage of a promotion they have where you only have to pay $15 per person if you come back within 9 days. My advice: skip Disney and take your kids to Legoland!

The beach was an amazing experience for us. Besides my husband, this was the first time any of us had seen the ocean. Seeing it for the first time is something I don't think I'll ever forget. We first visited the Atlantic Ocean. I loved watching my sons filled with excitement as they played in the water and in the sand. We found so many neat seashells which was the highlight for us. My husband found some large, neat shells. When I thought I had found something cool, he would dive down and get it for me. My cool shells turned out to be a broken beer bottle and a brick. It's a good thing I didn't slice my foot open on the broken bottle! Our second trip was to the Siesta Keys. It was a beautiful, white sand beach. Although it was really pretty, it was less fun for the boys. They waves weren't that great and there weren't as many shells.

We had fun riding the golf-cart around the neighborhood (everyone there has a golf-cart). We loved seeing palm trees, alligators, and all kinds of different bird species. The weather was awesome. It mostly stayed in the 80's and we had very little rain. Another really cool place we visited was called Gatorama. We learned a lot about alligators and crocidiles. My husband and the boys got to hold a baby alligator: so cool! We did a lot of shopping and site seeing. We toured a state park where we saw more alligators and wildlife. I'm very thankful for being able to spend so much time with my parents (another great homeschool perk), but I don't plan on doing it again. I missed my hubby and my home too much!

Be blessed my friends!